From: Subject: Paving sought for Macomb Orchard Trail | detnews.com | The Detroit News Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2010 14:33:41 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01CB34AB.336D8AA0" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01CB34AB.336D8AA0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100804/METRO03/8040384/1409/METRO/Paving-sought-for-Macomb-Orchard-Trail Paving sought for Macomb Orchard Trail | detnews.com = | The Detroit News tyntVariables =3D {"ap":"From The Detroit = News:"};
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Last Updated: August = 04. 2010=20 1:32AM

Not-so-happy trail

Paving sought for Macomb Orchard Trail

Charles E. Ramirez / The Detroit News

Richmond

As T.J. Hill puts it, there are some parts of the Macomb Orchard = Trail that=20 are "less than fun to ride" on his bike.    The parts = the 77-year-old from=20 Fraser is referring to are the trail's unpaved, gravel sections. =    But that may=20 change. Officials recently authorized the county to seek a low-interest = loan to=20 pay for paving those parts of the trail.

"We've already submitted our application and it's being reviewed," = said Bob=20 Hoepfner, the county's chief highway engineer. "Hopefully we'll know if = it's=20 approved in about a month. We'd like to get it paved this year if we = can."

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Hill said he hopes the county gets the loan and the trail's gravel = parts are=20 paved. "It would sure make the ride on the trail a lot more pleasant," = he said.=20

The county's Road Commission is seeking a 10-year, $495,000 loan from = the=20 Michigan Department of Transportation's State Infrastructure Bank = program to=20 cover the cost for paving a total of nine miles of the Macomb Orchard = Trail's=20 gravel sections, Hoepfner said. The program provides public entities = with loans=20 with interest rates of two percent.

As the agency awaits word of the loan, it has started soliciting bids = for the=20 project, he said.

One section of the rough road runs between 33 Mile and Armada Ridge = Road in=20 Armada Township. Another is the portion of the trail that runs east = through the=20 Village of Armada and then Armada and Richmond townships.

Dave Hamilton, who owns a bike shop near the trail in Richmond, said = the=20 development is the best news he's heard in a while.

"I think the county is doing the right thing," said the owner of = Hamilton=20 Bicycles & Outfitters in Richmond. "And it would be great to have = the trail=20 done this year."

The Macomb Orchard Trail is a 23-mile hike and bike path that runs = from=20 Shelby Township to the City of Richmond. The trail officially opened = three years=20 ago and sits on top of an abandoned stretch of train tracks.

The engineering firm initially involved in the trail's construction = put down=20 the wrong kind of gravel on the path's unpaved sections, said John = Crumm,=20 program manager with the Macomb County Planning and Economic Development = Department.

cramirez@detnews.com = (586)=20 468-2905

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